


Good

by aces_low



Series: drabbles and ish [19]
Category: Generation Kill
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Morning After, Sleepy Kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-31 13:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12682743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aces_low/pseuds/aces_low
Summary: After Mike leaves the Marines he gets a visitor.





	Good

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt of Brad/Mike hurt/comfort and also - lazy morning kisses before they’ve even opened their eyes, still mumbling half-incoherently, not wanting to wake up.
> 
> It's...sort of those things.

It had been a rough night.

When Mike had decided he was not going to continue with the Corps after this last tour, he knew he’d be getting some phone calls. Guys from Bravo, old and new, checking if the rumors were true, to glumly or sagely congratulate him on a long, successful service and to getting out on his own terms.

The one absent call had been confusing to him at first, he’d thought for sure Colbert would be the first to call and give him hell for his decision, before sending him off with a knowing pat on the back – figuratively, anyway.

But Brad hadn’t called, and Mike could only assume that the British Royal Marines don’t believe in telephones.

That is until last night, when instead of a phone call, Mike had found Brad Colbert sitting on the steps outside when he came home.

Brad had stood tall and straight as ever, the perfect image of a proud marine and Mike had felt his smile wane just slightly.

“Brad,” he’d greeted. “Make yourself useful and take one of these.”

He had handed him one of his bags of groceries as he found the right key to let them inside.

“What brings you all the way out here?” he had asked, turning on the lights as he led Brad through toward the kitchen.

“It’s true, isn’t it? You left,” Brad had said, setting the bag down on the kitchen counter.

Mike had nodded. “Turned in the last of my gear on Friday.”

Brad had frowned and shook his head but he’d kept his mouth closed as he’d helped Mike put the groceries away.

Out on Mike’s back porch, beers in hand, Mike asked Brad again why he’d come.

“I never thought I’d see the day when you left,” Brad had said, looking out to the trees that lined Mike’s backyard.

Mike had shrugged. “It’d been a long time comin’.”

Brad had shaken his head. “I don’t believe that.”

“Well, whether you believe it or not, it’s the truth. The Corps has been good to me, and I gave it all I had, but, like with any relationship, sometimes you just gotta go your separate ways.”

“It’s not a fucking marriage, Mike. This was your life.”

Mike had raised an eyebrow at Brad’s tone.

“You don’t outrank me anymore,” Brad had pointed out.

“Didn’t realize it was rank that kept you from being a dick.”

Brad had grinned at that, finally, and Mike had felt himself relax a little. He hadn’t even realized he’d been tense until that moment.

“It always felt like if you stayed, then…I’m not so fucked up for staying.”

“You’re not fucked up for staying, Brad,” Mike had said slowly.

“I love the Marines, it gets to me sometimes, but I love it. And until now, I always thought ‘it can’t be so bad if Wynn is sticking around’.”

“I had no idea I was your moral compass,” Mike had remarked dryly.

“It just doesn’t seem like you to do this.”

“What was I supposed to do?”

Brad had sighed and rubbed his face. “You were supposed to…age out, get too old to be there anymore.”

“I am too old for it.”

That had earned him an unamused glance that he’d given right back.

Dinner had been strained. Mike had tried to start new conversations, topics about anything but the Marine Corp, but that’s all Brad seemed to want to focus on.

 

“Look, I don’t know what to tell you,” Mike had finally bit out as he made up the couch for Brad who wouldn’t stop looking at him like he’d taken away his favorite gun.

Brad had ducked his head at that, clearly, some part of him hadn’t caught on that he was no longer outranked.

“What were you hoping to accomplish by coming here? That’d I’d change my mind and run back and tell them I made a mistake. It’s done.”

“I guess I didn’t realize it was so easy for guys like us to just leave,” Brad had said, sitting down on the couch, keeping his head bowed.

Mike had frowned at that. “If you think it was an easy decision you don’t know me at all. It chips away at you. And eventually, I had to decide if I was gonna let it take all of me, or if I was gonna get out with my spine still intact.”

Brad shook his head and didn’t speak.

That was when Mike realized that this had nothing to do with the Corps, or at least that wasn’t Brad’s first concern.

He’d sat down next to Brad and put a tentative hand on his shoulder.

“I didn’t leave you, ya know? I’m still here. You clearly know where I live if you ever want to find me. I’m right here, Brad.”

Brad had turned to him with what Mike could only describe as fear behind his eyes. 

Before he could comment though, Brad had gripped Mike’s face in his hands and pressed a hard kiss against his lips.

He’d pulled away before Mike could get his bearings and all he could think to say was, “oh.”

After that, there were desperate hands everywhere, teeth against lips, fingers tugging at short hair and shirts. Clothes made a trail, marking their path from the couch to Mike’s bedroom.

 

And now, Mike slowly awakens to a feather-light touch making its way slowly down his back causing him to shiver slightly. Brad’s fingers seem to be tracing the lines from each of the freckles on Mike’s back.

He keeps his eyes closed, willing to fall back asleep to this sensation, but then feels Brad’s warm, dry lips against the back of his neck.

“I know you’re awake,” Brad whispers, kissing his neck again, then his shoulder, moving his arm over to wrap around Mike’s waist.

“Well, I would be sleeping still if someone would let me,” Mike grumbles out, but he knows Brad can hear the smile in his voice.

“It’s after seven.”

“Yeah, and I’m allowed to sleep however late I want now, remember? I can even sleep a whole eight hours if I feel like it.”

Brad squeezes him tighter and rests his forehead on Mike’s shoulder.

Mike sighs and turns to face Brad, opening his eyes for the first time.

He has seen Brad after just waking plenty of times before, but all those times had been after too few hours of sleep, eyes red and muted and dull. Brad’s eyes are always studying, always calculating, Mike can nearly see the cogs churning in his mind. But right now, there’s a softness in them too. This is Brad well rested but lazy, eyes partially lidded and warm with sleep.

This is how Brad should always look when he first wakes up, Mike thinks, it’s a damn shame that isn’t the case more often than not.

“You good?” Mike asks finally, as they continue to just stare at each other.

Brad’s mouth curves into a soft smile, leaning in for a chaste kiss that still somehow makes Mike’s heart swell and he breathes in deep through his nose, wondering if they can stay right here forever. Or at least all day.

“I’m good,” Brad promises as he moves away, resting his forehead against Mike’s.

Mike closes his eyes and grins. Feeling the weight of Brad’s hand on his neck, the warmth of his breath against his cheek, the dip in his bed that fits them both just right, Mike says, “yeah, I’m good too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
